In the early 1870s, when Louis Navarre came to the area on a hunting expedition, he found the river full of fish, the grass belly-deep on the horses, and the countryside full of deer, wild turkey, and wild hogs. Said his grandson, Robert J. Navarre, Jr., “I’m sure they thought they had found the most wonderful place in the world.” Louis definitely saw something of value, for he later returned to the area and, in 1889, established a residence. It is on a portion of Louis Navarre’s property, which he later sold to Frank Harrah, that the initial townsite of Harrah was platted.